If you’re an intern like me, you know that your hour lunch break is the most precious part of your day. Now, an hour might seem like a long time, but when you’ve been slaving in the office for the past four hours and the time seems to go as slow as it takes for your Instagram to reload, an hour of free time goes by in what seems like five minutes.
Now, I’m a Starbucks addict. No, I do not drink coffee. Unpopular opinion, right? Instead, Starbucks has stolen my heart through their popular refresher green coffee extract drinks. And yes, I order the same thing every time; a venti cool lime refresher with lite ice. Lite ice because I don’t get paid enough to have regular ice. And you know I love Starbucks so much that I’m willing to sacrifice 15 minutes of my cherished break to wait in the ever-so-long lunch rush line. While standing behind inexperienced Starbucks visitors mulling over what they're going to get, I wait patiently knowing that I’ll order the same thing I always do with no doubt in my mind.
Finally it was my turn. Credit card on the ready, out of the corner of my eye I see a chalkboard display showcasing the new black tea lemonade.
“What would you like today?”
Veering from my usual, I ordered the promoted drink, immediately regretting it even before the words were fully out of my mouth.
“And how many pumps of sweetener would you like?”
Sweetener? That was the last thing I needed in my life. I came here for a quick caffeine dose, not a trip to Candyland. The barista kindly explained that six pumps of sweetener was the recommended dose in order to achieve the optimal sugar high. I declined, saying two would do the trick, and prayed that I wouldn’t end up with a bitter concoction of a watered down Arnold Palmer wannabee.
Now it was time to wait. Mindlessly scrolling through Twitter, I stood behind the other few business employees anxiously waiting for their caffeine fix. Looking up to hear the barista calling my name, alerting me that my drink was ready, I watched as she slid my drink across the counter. Before I could even reach the elevated countertop, the venti iced lemonade had already reached its death, falling three feet from the baristas hands to the floor. Before I could grab the paper napkins to help blot up what was left, three Starbucks employees rushed over with a mop and a yellow “wet floor” sign, shielding customers from the puddle of ice and sugary mix.
Hastily one of the baristas remade my drink, forgetting that I only asked for two pumps of sweetener and lite ice, apologizing again for the wet mess that was directly in front of me. I reassured her it was completely fine, but mindfully noted that I would never order something other than my usual at Starbucks ever again.
With all the different drinks, flavors, and sizes Starbucks offers it’s almost impossible to stay true to your original order. The release of eight new mini Frappuccino flavors even caught my eye, a non-coffee drinker, but I resisted from ordering one. After my last trip to Starbucks and the misfortunate event that occurred, here are reasons why you should never order anything other than your usual at Starbucks:
Somehow your drink will be messed up. Whether they didn’t get your memo about that extra foam you craved, or they put two pumps classic syrup instead of the raspberry syrup that you love, your drink will not be perfect, nor will it taste as good as you imagined. The more you order your usual, the more likely the baristas will learn exactly how you like it.
Your new order will probably cost more than your usual order. With drinks ranging anywhere from $2 to $6, your coffee addiction can add up if you’re a frequent buyer like myself. Splurging on that new summertime drink might not be your best option when you know your regular iced coffee is cheaper and will satisfy you longer. Instead of wasting five dollars, invest in your usual.
Your day will be ruined. Knowing I’ll go to Starbucks is what gets me through the first few hours of my workday. When my drink is spot on I know that I have the energy and reassurance to power through the rest of the day. When your drink is disappointing, your day becomes disappointing. Don’t ruin your day. Stick with your usual.
Overall, going to Starbucks is one of my favorite hobbies. It’s totally worth the extra time you spend waiting in line for the barista to hand you a perfectly made drink with your name spelled correctly. With an accurately proportioned Starbucks in hand, you feel like you can conquer the world. Save yourselves the $4 wasted on disappointment and stick with your usual. Your taste buds, wallet, and ego will thank you for it.
